Collapsible construction for awnings, and including parts adapted for construction of garage doors and other closures



March 17, 1931. 1,796,564

COLLAPSIBLE CONSTRUCTION FOR AWNINGS AND INCLUDING mars ADAPTED R. H. FIRGUSON FOR CONSTRUCTION OF GARAGE DOORS AND OTHER CLOSURES Filed Aug 5. 1929 Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOY HOMER FIRGUSON, 0F LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA COLLAPSIBLE CONSTBUCTION FOR AWNINGS, .AND INCLUDING PARTS ADAPTED FOB CONSTRUCTION OF GARAGE DOORS AND OTHER CLOSURES I Application fil ed August 5 1929. Serial No. 383,613.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel and more satisfactory construction which maybe applied as a metallic awning and is also applicable in various features and 5 parts to form fireproof closures for doorways, windows, and other openings.

Anotherobject is to provide light, simple and positive means for extending and collapsing the structure irrespective as to whether it is arranged for use as an awning or as a closure. v

The invention is broadly new, basic and pioneer in that it comprises axially alined telescopic stays and plates or sheets connecting companion sections of the stays and successively over-lapping one another to allow relative movement'for extension and collapse as the stays are extended or collapsed.

The telescopic stays may be arranged vertically or at any desired angle to the vertical for the purpose of forming closures for open ings in walls or to form parts of screens, or to form canopies or awnings; and I have made provision whereby the upper members of the stays may be connected directly with a wall, with posts, or with a beam, depending upon the use to which the device is to be applied, v

- and I have made provision whereby the upper member of the awning can be formed integral with bracket means to support the awning canopy aslant from the side of a wall or other vertical support.

The principle of the invention for all of its uses may be well understood by reference to drawings illustrating the invention as an awning assembly in which the protective sheets or plates slide upon or relative to each other; each'plate or sheet over-lapping the next below, and soon to the lowest or terminal plate sothat rain] falling upon the awning will flow down'over, and without passing through joints between'the sheets or plates and without dripping therefrom.

make up the same. V p An object of theinvention is to make pro- The invention includes the assembly and the parts and combination of parts goingito limit myself to casting the parts of the awnings.

An object of the invention is to provide a metal awning of minimum weight and maximum strength for such weight and of sufficient strength and rigidity to prevent sag- The device comprises an assembly of relatively slidable units and said units may be bent up of sheet metal to form in a single piece, two companion telescopic sections connected to each other by a spanning sheet, and the spanning sheets are preferably provided with bent-up interlocking edges to prevent disassembly.

The terms sheet or plate are used herein, interchangeably since the principle of the invention is the same, irrespective of the thick ness or weight of the parts herein referred to by such terms.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

- The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention as applied in a metal awning.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a metal awning constructed in accordance with this invention and installed against a wall", a fragment of which is shown provided with an opening that may be for a window or a door as occasion may make desirable.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the awning on a plane at right angles to the axis of the telescopic stays as indicated by line 002, Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on line m3, Fig. 1, in a vertical plane extending along the axis of one of the telescopic arms as indicated by line m3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the upper- :most or main telescopic section with one of the spanning plates fixed thereto and shown in section.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmental crosssectional detail of two of the spanning plates or sheets detached from their sectional members. p

Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the end brackets with the telescopic sections thereon extended, over-lapping plates or sheet s being shown in section on a plane indicated by '1 and 2.

' In tliedrawing the companion stays are f s h own composed of companion head sections '1', 1', two sets of companlon lower sections respectively with reverse return bends forming interlocking hooks or stops to prevent dis-assembly of the parts by over-extension; and the terminal sheet 6 is provided at its upper edge with a downwardly directed return bend as at 8 to engage the u wardly directed return bend of the sheet a ove, as at 7, when the shield formed by the sheets or stays is fully extended.

The head sections 1, 1 are shown provided with bracket extensions 9, 9,; adapted as by flanges 10, to be attached to a support as the wall 11.

The unit formed of companion telescopic sections and a sheet or plate connecting the same and the bracket 9 may be composed of parts fastened together by any means as by riveting, spot welding, soldering or the like, or may be cast in one piece as indicated in the drawing; and the lower sections of the device may be in like manner formed of the companion stay sections and their connecting,

plates. v

The stay sections may be of any desired shape in cross section and are particularly shown in the. drawing as being of rectangular form, each comprising a top 12 connected by a rib 13 with the plate or sheet 14; each section also comprising an outer wall 15, a return wall 16 and a retainer 17, there being an inwardly open slot 18 in each section to. accommodate the transverse sheet or plate of the next lower section; and for the purpose of assembling the plates and the telescopic sections; the upper ends of each of such sections being open as at 19, thus allowing the sections to be successively assembled over-lapping one another from the top downward.

20 is a reinforcement provided with a cen tral orifice 21 and fixed to the head telescopic section 1 above the upper terminals of the intermediate and terminal sections; and above such reinforcement, the head sections are provided with bearings 22 in which i's journalled a shaft 23 provided with spools 24 to which are fixed the upper ends of flexible connections 25 that are provided at their lower ends with buttons 26 to abut the lower, ends of the terminal telescopic sections 3 so that when the spools are turned .to wind up the flexible connections, the abutments will'retract the telescopic sections successively from the lowest up, until the shield formed by the plates 6, 5 and 5 have been fully collapsed. A spool 27 at one end'of the shaft 23 is connected by a-line 28 with a Windlass 29 so that by turning the gindlass,

while in the extended position of parts shown in Figs. land 6 so that operation of the windlass 29, by crank 30, or otherwise, will retract the telescopic sections into the position shown in Fig. 3.

The awning may be made of any desired dimensions, care being taken that appropriate thickness of material be employed in correspondence with the duty to be performed and the rigidity required; and the brackets 9 are made of appropriate angularity togive such slope to the telescopic sections andtheir plates, that as the operating line 28 is .unwound from the operating reel 29, for releasing the telescopic sections, such sections will descend by gravity to extend the canopy.

I claim 1. An assembly comprising telescopic stays, the sections of which are connected by sheets over-lapping for the purpose of allowing relative movement of the parts for extension and retraction; the axes of said stays being parallel to each other.

2. An assembly comprising telescopic stays, the sections of which are connected by sheets successively over-lapping one another for the purpose of allowing relative movement of the parts for extension and retraction,

means for revolving the shaft to takeup such connections and shorten the stays.

4. The combination with a head p is a.

ing main telescopic sections and provided with a bracket adaptedto be fastened to support; a series, of co-axial companion telescopic sections; and sheets connecting the companion sections together, respectively, to form a canopy adapted to be extended and collapsed; said sections having slots at their adjacent sides to accommodate the successive sheets, respectively.

5. In a device of the character set, forth, a telescopic stay made up of sections and sheets which sectionsare connected respectively to sheets to form an awning, and each section being provided with a slot in one wall to accommodate a sheet of a succeeding telescopic section.

6. In a device of the character set forth, a bent sheet metal unit comprising companion telescopic sections and spanning sheets connecting the telescopic sections; said telescopic sections being provided with slots, each slot to accommodate a spanning sheet of a like unit.

7. In a device of the character set forth, thecombination of sheet metal units, each comprising spanning sheets and having bent ends, and successively forming telescopic sections in combination; said sheets also having bent edges to engage each other to prevent disassembly; and said telescopic sections having slots extending part way therealong to accommodate sheets of other telescopic members of the combination.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los An geles, California, this 29th dayof July, 1929.

ROY HOMER FIRGUSON. 

